Marks & Spencer lorry gets stuck under Micklegate Bar in York

ONE of York’s most famous landmarks has avoided serious damage after a delivery truck got stuck there.

Fire crews were called to Micklegate Bar on Thursday evening when the Marks & Spencer lorry became wedged in the central arch of the Bar while heading out of the city.

As reported on Thursday night, the trapped vehicle was freed within half an hour by firefighters who cut away bodywork from its cab, allowing it to be driven away. Structural teams from City of York Council assessed the Bar, but the authority has confirmed no damage was caused.

Marks & Spencer has not confirmed why the delivery vehicle was attempting to pass through the structure – which has a sign next to it indicating a 10ft height limit – or the reasons for the driver taking that route.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “We would like to thank North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for their support in helping us to ensure that the incident was resolved as quickly as possible and caused minimal disruption”.

The lorry became stuck at about 8.25pm on Thursday, and pictures were posted on twitter along with jokes such as “This is not just any lorry getting stuck, but an M&S lorry” and “No ordinary accident – a Marks & Spencer accident”, in reference to the high street giant’s advertising campaign.

Council leader James Alexander tweeted at the time of the accident that if the Bar – which dates back to the 12th Century – had suffered any damage, the authority would ask M&S to pay for it.